Spanish Government does U turn on NIE applications in Spain

The Spanish government has decided to revert back to the original way in which a foreigner may apply for an NIE number in Spain. Last December, the government ruled that all applications have to be made in person, and can no longer be applied for by a legal representative with a notarized power of attorney.

An official communication form the Spanish Ministry of the Interior on 13th April 2012 now states that an NIE number CAN be applied for by that person’s legal representative.

This is both a logical decision and a boost for the Spanish property market, given that by making it difficult to obtain this document, it was causing further harm to the property market in general and stopping lawyers from doing their job in representing their clients in a property purchase.

From a practical point of view, it saves hours of queuing at the local Police station and further visits to collect the document when issued.